Ningaloo Reef

Who says "Great Barrier Reef" is unrivaled? Ningaloo Marine Park, although significantly smaller than Great Barrier Reef, is the magnificent reef of Western Australia. It is unique especially due to its distance to the shore, less than half a kilometer at some places, which makes it possible to "take a walk" to the reef. The reef also displays a wide variety of fish, corals, molluscs and numerous other sea creatures. The most awesome out of these species is whale shark. Did you know that whale sharks are the largest living fish species in the world? In fact, they are one of the very few filter feeding shark types which means their teeth exist only for decoration purposes. Due to the filter-feeding structure, they only eat little fish and planktons bigger than 2-3 milimeters. Humans are not a usual part of their diet. So why not to take a dive with a whale shark and eternalize this unforgettable moment with the help of an underwater camera? The sharks drop by to the reef between April and June.

Please keep in mind that whale sharks are not the only members of Ningaloo Marine Park. The reef has many guests since it is located on the path where dolphins, dugongs, manta rays and humpback whales use for migration during Australian winter (December to February). Furthermore, turtles prefer Ningaloo Marine Park for breeding and can be seen around in late January and February.

If you are simply up to swimming in peace, make a visit to Sandy Bay. The sandy beaches of the marine park are truly inviting. Ningaloo Marine Park stretches from Tropic of Capricorn up to Exmouth Gulf and occupies an area of over 5,000km². It is located 1200km north of Perth and is accessible through North-West Coastal Highway. If you prefer to avoid long driving times, taking a two hour flight to the domestic airport in Exmouth is a convenient option.